sargent



' (No Model.)

H. B. SARGENT. MASTER KEY PIN 1.0011.

115. 550,111. Patentd Nov. 19, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. SARGENT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SARGENT & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

'MASTER-KE Y PlN-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,111, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed March 19, 1894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. SARGENT, o

I New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Master-Key Cylinder-Locks; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a detached plan View of a lockcylinder constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged view in transverse section of a lock containing the said cylinder, which is also shown in transverse section; Figs. 3 and 4, views in transverse I section of day and master keys adapted to be used in connection with my improved lock; Fig. 5, a view in front elevation of a lock containing my invention and drawn to full size.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of master-key pin-tumbler locks, in which the cylinder is provided-with two independent parallel series of tumblers respectively designed to be engaged and operated by a day and a master key, the object of my invention being to produce a simple, compact, and effective look not liable to derangement, adapted to be easily and accurately constructed, and made with special reference to safety against picking.

WVith these ends in view my invention consists in constructing the lock-cylinder with a single longitudinal series of pockets and providing .it with two independent longitudinally-arranged series of tumblers, the opposite members of which are paired, so as to bear upon each other in the respective pockets of the cylinder, and also offset or staggered with respect to each other, so as to also have bearing in opposite directions upon the cylinder, which they thus prevent from being slightly rotated in either direction during any attempt to pick the lock.

Locks of the type to which my invention relates are so well known that I have deemed it unnecessary to either illustrate or describe Serial No. 504,211. (No model.)

the full construction of one, but have thought it suflicient to describe my invention with particular regard to the parts directly affe'cted. In carrying out my invention I construct the cylinder A, which otherwise is of ordinary construction, with a single longitudinal series of radialpockets A, the opposite ends of the end walls of which are extended in opposite directions, so as to form two bearing-shoulders a and a, which face in opposite directions, and are located upon opposite sides of a plane centrally intersecting all of the pockets. I also construct the cylinder with a single longitudinal key-slot A, Fig. 2, centrally intersecting the bottom walls of all of the pockets. In these pockets I locate the tumblers B and C of two independent series of tumblers, designed to be operated independently of eachother by a day-key D and a master-key E of peculiarv construction, as will be hereinafter described. The tumblers in question are of oblong rectangular form in cross-section and cut out of heavy sheet metal; and it will be understood that the tumblers of one series are differentiated in length from each other and from those of the other series, and vice versa, in the ordinary manner for differentiating a series of looks from each other.

The day-tumblers B and the master-key tumblers C are respectively arranged in independent longitudinal series, so far as their coaction with the day and master keys is concerned; but so far as their organization in the cylinder A is concerned the opposite members of the respective series of tumblers are paired in the pockets of the cylinder, so that their inner faces bear for the most part upon each other, as clearly seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings; but inasmuch as the opposite ends of the end walls of the pockets are offset, as before described, the inner faces of the tumblers do not have full but only partial bearing upon each other, but are dodged or'staggered, so that the inner ends of the inner faces of the day-key tumblers bear upon the shoulders a of the pockets, while the outer ends of the inner faces of the master-key tumblers bear upon the oppositely-facing shoulders at of the pockets, as also clearly shown in the said figure. This construction does not interfere with the proper operation of the respective series of tumblers by the keys of the looks; but it does prevent the cylinder from being slightly rotated in either direction from its locked position by a person attempting to pick the look by means of any picking-tool. Thus any attempt to rotate'the cylinder from right to left with one or more tumblers of either series lifted is resisted immediately by the bearing of the lifted tumbler or tumblers upon the shoulders a of its or their pockets, while any attempt to rotate the cylinder slightly from left to right under similar conditions is immediately resisted by the bearing of the master-key tumblers upon the shoulders a of the pockets. The construction described, therefore, effectually prevents the look from being picked by slight rotations of the cylinder, by means of which the tumblers are lifted out of it and engaged with its outer face at points adjacent to the side edges of its pockets.

In order to adapt the day-key D and the master-key E to be employed with the lock described, the notched operating edge (Z of the former is offset to the right, while the corresponding edge e of the latter is oifset to the left, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The cylinder A is located in a chamber F, provided to receive it in the usual manner in the lock-ease F, which is also furnished with a radial series of small chambers F corresponding in number to the pockets A of the cylinder and each containing a pin or bolt G and a spiral spring II, all of the springs and bolts being normally retained in place by means of a slide I of ordinary construction. The pins or bolts G may be of any form and construction as, for instance, round or square in eross-section-so long as they are adapted to enter the outer ends of the pockets A in the cylinder for normally locking the same against rotation.

I do not limit myself to forming the pockets in the lock-cylinder nor the day and master keytumblers exactly as shown and described, for obviously the form of both the pockets and the tumblers may be varied. Thus square tumblers may be employed' I would, therefore, have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not, however, broadly claim a lock-cylinder having a single series of pockets and having their opposite members paired, that being the invention of II enry R. Stadtmuller, whose application for a patent upon such invention is executed of even date herewith.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a master-key pin-tumbler or cylinder lock, the combination with a cylinder having a single longitudinal series of pockets, of two independent longitudinal series of tumblers located in the said pockets, the opposite tumblers of the respective series being located in a dodged or staggered arrangement so as to have partial bearing upon each other and uponadjacent portions of the cylinder, substantially as set forth, and whereby the cylinder is prevented from being surreptitiously rotated in either direction.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IIENRY B. SARGENT. Witnesses:

.lLLrorr LrrrLEJoHN, IVILLIAM '1. COOKE. 

